Process of and machine for making concrete blocks and article made thereby



Aug. :14, 1 934.

1.. E. MORSE PRCCESS OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS ANDARTICLE MADE THEREBY Original Filed Nov. 25,. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR 02197? 5/ /0296 W A'I TORNEY L. ENMORSE 1,970,245 PROCESS OFAND MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS AND ARTICLE MADE THEREBY Aug. 14,1934.

Original Filed Nov. 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 0)? 17/70/156 2% W/ATTOENEY Patented Aug. 14, 1934 ill-J 1 er ie i l PROCESS OF AND.MACHINEFORHMAKING ,CONCRETE BLOCKS ANDi ARTICLE MADE THEREBY p 7 Loren E.Morse, Jersey City, 1N. Application members, 1927; Serial No. 235,470 7i Ren wed M 19., 1932, v Y 9 Claims, (01. 25-100) The present inventionrelates to process :of manufacture to carry out the process in asuitable and machine for making concrete blocks and is machineinwhic'hthe operations are carried out more particularly directed towardthe manufacin the desired sequence. It is therefore an object ture ofconcrete blocks and'tile which are comof the present invention toprovide a machine paratively thin and suitablefor use where a nonwhereinconcrete blocks or tile of the above 60 bearing unit 'is preferred, asfor exampley'in nature made' from cinders, sand'orother'aggrepartitions, curtain walls and other places wherein gate maybe manufactured in an economic, and great strength is not necessary;Whilethe inexpeditious manner. e 9 I vention is moreparticularlyintended for use in A more particular object of the invention is to 1making cinder concrete blocks, it is suitable for providea machinewherein a single power drive 65.v the manufacture of concrete blocks outof other is adaptedto intermittently advance a carrier or materials;such as sand, or other aggregate. conveyor carryingthe open mould boxpast a suit The present invention also relates to an imable'hopper andfeed box for material, and other proved concrete cinder block in which anumber power operated'devices for closing the mould of holes extendnearly all theway through the box and ajcting on-the loose material in"a closed 70 block and wherein the mixture is compressed mould box tomakeit' into a block-or tile ort e sufficiently to provide the blockwith a definite desired size. I

regular outline of predetermined size and yet not A further objectof theinvention is to provide so-mu'ch as to materially increase itsweight-and reciprocatory pluggers and: followers alongside an 0;density. Y intermittently driven mould box which are adept 7'5 Accordingto the preferred method employed ed to operate in proper sequence tocompress the inmakingthe concrete blocks, a predetermined material inthe mould box to a predetermined quantity of mixtureis placed in a mouldbox amountand torem'ain in this position while which comprises arelatively fixed bottom," fixed pluggers are withdrawn from thecompressed side walls and a fixed end wall, a cover capable block. i ofbeing fixedly held in position; and a movable A further objector theinvention is to inter end wallin the form of apiston or plunger, so thatconnect the shutter for controlling the flow or a'predetermined quantityof material is held ina mixture from the hopper to an empty mould boxchamber of predetermined size and configuration. and'rthe mechanism foroperating the above sets Hole forming'plungers are then passed into thef plu e s s t at h y may b aetuatedinp p s5- materialto displace thesame and provide lightensequence, and when the mould'boxesare stationing holes; after which the movable end comary. V f a presses thematerial by a gentle pressure (un- Other and fur-ther'objects oftheinvention will accompanied by tamping) sufficiently to insureappearas the description probeedssharp even corners and sufficientdensity in the p Th c mp y drawings Show, Q '"P Q0 finished block tobesuitable for the purposes p sflef i us a t invention, one of thintend-ed; i it many possible embodiments in which the inven In thepreferred method of carrying out these t ny ay t k f it' ns und ieoperations, the hole-forming plungersare first rawings areillustrative'of the invention rather 4 forced into the loose material inthe'clo'sed mould h limiting e am v Y 95 box, thereby compressingthematerial to' aco'n h 'e gs= side'rable extent, especiallyin the rear endofthe Fi -"l is e ee plan we eenerete ek mould b'ox.-'The piston orplunger then iollows making-machine, the cover for th m l thehole-forming plungers to'compressfthe mab n m e f terial at the front ofthe mould box and-give the i e 2518 Hi sectibilal View taken on the line1.00 blockthe desired dimensions." 'I-his follower is 241-2 Figure *7thenpheld m m hi t -ho] e formjng Figure 3 is anlend elevational viewtalienin plungers, or pluggers, are withdrawn so that there h ction 0fthearrowB 0i F g e "is no tendency to breakup theblock by such Figure 4i531 sefltion taken on the 11118 withdrawal. The follower isthenmoved'back to of Figure 2111 the ree-t on'ofthe arrows} 1'05 relievethe moulded block from pressure, after Fi ur 5 i n ar d f m n ry-view ofwhich the box may be opened and the block taken a Showing h drive f theConveyor; away for curing or drying in the ordinary manner. Figure 6 isa plan'view' taken in the direction While the above process can becarried outlay of the arrow 6 of Figure 2; parts being in section;

5. hand, it is preferable for purposes of economic figure ,7 is aperspective view of aform of 5 block which may be made in the presentmachine;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view indicating a modification of the machinefor making two blocks simultaneously; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of a modification.

In the form of construction shown in the drawings, two horizontallydisposed channels 10 and 11 are mounted on suitable framework designatedgenerally by the reference characterl2 so as to carry these channels ina horizontal position above the floor. Bearing members 1313 and 14-14are fastened tothe under side of these channels and these bearingmembers support shafts 15 and 16 which carry pairs-of sprocket wheels17l7 and 18-18 keyed to the respective shafts. These sprocket wheelscarry sprocket chains 19. and 20 which are adapted to travel between thechannel members 10 and 11 andpreferably spaced a slight distance belowthe upper space of the channels. 1 .3

Ang1es 21 and .22 are fastened to the upper side of the channels 10 and11 to form guides for cross members 23 and 24 arranged in pairs on thechain. Cross members 23 are permanently mounted on the chain and areadapted to'slide along the upper surface of the channels 10 and 11,while themembers 24 are preferably hingedly connected to the sprocket.chainsas indicated at 25. The cross members 23 and 24 form side walls ofa mould box whose end walls are provided by the angle members 21 and22.The bottom of the mould box is in the form of a removable pallet 26which extends under a portion of the cross member 23 as indicated and onwhich the cross member 24 rests as shown in the drawings.

The sprocket chains, cross piecesand pallets are adapted to beintermittently advanced toward the left, as shown in the drawings, by adriving motor 30, through reduction gear 31 and an intermittent drive.As shown in Figure 5, this takes the form of a mutilated gear 32 meshingwith a pinion 33 carried on the shaft 15. The motor 30 is also used toactuate the other parts of the machine. r p

Laterally extending channel members .40 and 41 are fastened to thechannel 11. They extend to the right as indicated in Figure 3, and aresupported on feet 42 and 43. These channels 40 and 41 support otherparts of the machine which are actuated by the motor.

To actuate the parts just referred to, the motor 30 is connected throughbevel gears 44.with"a shaft 45 suitably mounted'underneath the channelmembers 40, as for example-on the legs 42. The shaft 45 is connectedwith a counter shaft46 through sprocket wheels and chain 47. The shaft46 is mounted in brackets 48 carried by the channels 40 and 41. Thisshaft also carries a pair of cam members 49 and 50 having cam;;tracks51cooperative with followers 52 carried on arms 53 and connected to arocking shaft 54. The arms 53 are connectedby links 55with areciprooato-ry block 56 carried on the upper side of ,the channelmembers 40 and 41. This block 56is connected to plungers or pluggers 57of which four are shown in the drawings. Thesepluggers or plungers passthrough a bearing block 58 secured to the channels 40 and 41 and extendrearwardly as indicated in Figure 1, across the upper surface of thechannel 11. These hole forming plungers or pluggers also pass through aramming member 59. The member 59 is in the form of aramming member orplunger connected by bell cranks 60 with links 61 which are actuated bycam tracks 62 carried in cam plates 63 fastened to the shaft 45. Therocking shaft 54 extends to the right as indicated in Figure 1 and ispivotally mounted in standards 65. It carries a yoke 66 provided witharms 67 which are connected by links 68 with a slidable shutter 69carried in guides 70 mounted ontop of the channel members 10 and 11.

The motor driven shaft 45 is connected by means of bevel gears '71 witha counter shaft 72 carried on brackets 73 supported from the channels 10and 11. This shaft is located under- .neath the mould box in line withthe plungers 57 and 59. The shaft 72 carries a pair of cam be moved-backand forth in the slotted guides -78. This roller is adapted to forcedownwardly a cover member 79 carried above the mould boxes and held inposition by a cross brace 80 carried by the angles 21 and 22 and pins 81as indicated in Figure 2., H.

The mechanisms which have so far been described, are preferably timed soas to operate in proper sequence to produce blocks in large quantitieswith a minimum of labor, and attention. The parts are so timed that theconveyor for the mould boxes is advanced when all the other parts are atrest and these other parts are actuated when the conveyor is at rest.

The operation of -the machine veniently described as follows:

The cross pieces 23 and 24 are brought up around the sprocket wheels 18as indicated in the drawings and when they have reached position A theoperator, swings the cross member 25 to the left and inserts a pallet 26underneath the cross piece 23 and then drops or lowers the cross piece24 down onto the pallet. These parts are then 'inthe position indicatedat B and shown in cross section in Figure 4. The machine is prefer ablyprovided with two such positionsin advance of the hopper, so thatworkmen will have more opportunity to place the pallets in position. Theconveyor is then advanced by the motor to carry the parts from theposition B to the position C thereby bringing the open mould box (formedby the cross pieces 23 and 24, the pallet 26 and the end walls 21 and22) underneath the chute or hopper 100. During the time that the mouldbox has been moved underneath the hopper the shutter 69 is in apositionto cut off the flow of aggregate from the hopper into the mouldbox. After the mould box has stopped, however, the motor driven devicesabove the shutter to move it back and permit the ma-' terial toflow fromthe hopper into the mould box may be conafterwhich the shutter is soarranged that the driven devices, above described, actuate the roller77-to apply pressure-to the mould box cover 79 to press it tightly downagainst the cross pieces 23 and 24 and the angle member 21. Themovement; of the mould box to the position B will have brought it beyondthe end of the angle member 22 and in front of the plungers 57 and 59above described.. i 1 V described, actuate.

As soon as the mould'box has :beeneifectively closed by clamping downthe' cover plate, the

cams and motor driven partsare so timed that.

thehole forming-plungers or .pluggers 57 are rammed home to the positionindicated in Figure 1 thereby forming holes which extend nearly all theway through the block. These pluggers' will force the material towardthe .end wall 21 compacting it into the corners to'a considerableextent; in doing this they encounter considerable resistance. After thepluggers have been'iorced home the follower or ramming member 59 is thenactuated by the appropriate cams to apply pressure to the looseaggregatein the box. -.This ap plication of pressure is comparativelygentle' and as it is accomplished in a single strokeythereis no tampingaction in the making of the block. In Figure l, the ramming-member 59 isshown in the position to which it is actuated after the pluggers 57 haveformed the holes in the block. This ramming member 'follows thepluggers' in and is then held stationary. The pluggers are withdrawn bythe cam operating devices. :ZBy holding this ramming member 59stationary during the withdrawal of these plungers, there is'no tendencyto break up or disintegrate the end of the block. After the pluggershave been withdrawn, the follower 59 is then withdrawn to be clear ofthe cross piece 23. The. cams'then move the roller '77 back to the leftreleasing the pressure on the cover plate so that the conveyor mayadvance the finished'block to position By the operation ofthe deviceswhich have been described, a self-sustaining block has been formed witheven, regular outline, sharp corners, and comparatively lowdensityandweight; .This block will be carried out of the. machine to thepositions E and F where the pallet holding them may be readily removedfrom the machine and'the formed block taken away for curing and dryingin the manner appropriate to the aggregate being used. 4

It will of course be understood that the machine is capable of rapidoperation. The work men will place pallets in the positions A and'B. Asupply of material will be maintained in the hopper. Other workmen willremove'the com-' pleted blocks from the positions E and F. The motorwill operate the shutter, plunger, and

mould-box closing roller inthe propense'quence while the conveyor isidle and will'then with draw all these parts'to permit the motor toadvance the conveyor.

The blocks which are made by the present machine may have a shape suchas indicated in Figure 7 as 102. A number of holes extend through theblock nearly to the other end. Of course the holes may be caused to goall the way-through, if

desired. Blocks of this nature are very light in weight and yet aresufiiciently strong to be suitable for use as a non-bearing unit such asin partitions, curtain walls, and whereever great strength is notnecessary. The blocks are made without tamping the material and therebymuch higher speed of operation is possible and much less power is usedthan where the material is tamped a number of times to bring it to greatdensity and strength.

In some instances, it may be desirable to make up two or more blocks ina single operation, in

which case the machine may be constructed as illustrated fragmentarilyin Figure 8, wherein the corresponding parts are referred to by the samereference characters with a prime added. Here a cutter 105 is adapted topass down between the hole :formi'ng plungersflfi'lfpand into a guidinnotch-.106 inthe. anglemember 21; This cutter. 1.05:.preferablyisiactuated-prior to the plungers 571'. andwillcut the aggregate in thebox into two halves which maybe acted on byv the plungers and follower.in the manner heretofore described. ...-Instead of having the holeforming plungers and ramming member both: at the same side of the mouldbox, it is possibleptoplacethem on op-- posite sides .of;the box, asindicated diagrammaticallyin Figure 9.. The side blocks 23 and 24,pallet-26andc0ver 79 for-the mould box may be the same as has heretoforebeen described in detail. .Instead,.however,;of having the end of themould box. oppositeihehole forming plungers fixed, asshowniii-Figures 1. and 2, the present constructionnses .a fixed abutment 110through which the hole forming plungers 57" pass. The opposite .end of.the mould box is provided with a ramming. member 59%. The operating.mechanism shown'inthe drawings may be rearranged to provide for forcingthe hole forming plungers 5'7": into the looseag'gregate andfor forcingthe ramming member 59: into compress the material to the final size. Asthe abutment 110 is stationary it will be possible to time. the .partsso that the plungers 57" and the ramming member 59 will both bewithdrawn simultaneously.

It will-of course be obvious that the machine is capable of-beingembodied in many forms and hence I, desire it to be understood. that thepresent drawings should: be considered as merely showing an illustrativeembodiment ofv the invention, the partsmay be changed invarious mannersand rearranged to suit conditions which may arise. The scopeoftheinvention'is indicated by the following claims.

" what'isclaimed'isz' I 1. A concrete block machine comprising anintermittently driven conveyor, mould boxes car ried by the'conveyor, a"hopper for feeding aggregate intothe mould boxes, a cover under whichthe filled mould box is moved, the machine having a longitudinalabutmeiit forming 'wall providing one side of a closedmolding chamber,means to clamp the cover tightly onto the mould box, to close thechamber, a'plurality of hole forming plungers opposite to the abutmentforming wall, means" to drive them into the material in the closed mouldbox, a follower for the plungersand means to actuate the iollowertocompress the material-toward the wall and redirect it to a predeterminedvolume in one operation without tamping.

2. A concrete block making machine comprising an intermittently drivenconveyor carrying the sides of a plurality of mould boxes, palletsremovably carried by the sides of the mould box, supports along whichthe mould box slides while carried by the conveyor, said supports alsocarrying fixed strips which provide end walls for the mould box, meansto fill the mould box while the conveyor is stationary, a cover memberunder which the material is moved by the conveyor, a ramming membercarried beyond the end of one of the strips underneath the cover, andmeans for actuating the ramming member to compress the material to apredetermined volume in one operation without tamping.

3. A concrete block making machine comprising an intermittently drivenconveyor carrying the sides of a plurality of mould boxes, palletsremovably carried by the sides of the mould box, supports along whichthe mould box slides while carried by the conveyor, said supports alsocarrying fixed strips which provide end walls forthe mould box, 'meansto fill the mould box while the conveyor is stationary, a cover memberunder which the material ishmovedby the conveyor, a ramming membercarried beyond the end of one of the strips and underneath the cover,the other strip being opposite the-ramming member, a plurality ofholeformingplungers extending through the ramming member, means to.actuate-the plungers to push them into thematerial, means for actuatingthe ramming member to compress thematerial to a predetermined volume inone operation without ltamping, means for withdrawing theplungers andmeans for thereafter withdrawing the ramming member.

4. A concrete. block machine comprising an in.-, termittently drivenconveyor, parts'carriedby the conveyor and cooperative with adjacentguides for providing intermittently advanced mould boxes, a hopper, ashutter for filling a mould. box while the conveyor is stationary, andcooperative devices for closing another mould box, forming holes in thecontents thereofvand ramming .said contents to a predetermined volume inone operation without tamping.

5. In a concrete block making machine, a pair of parallel chains,driving wheelsfor operating them together, means for intermittentlyadvancingthe wheels and chains, fixed guides spaced alongside thechains, pairs of cross pieces carried by thechains and extending betweenthe guides, pallets between the pairs of cross pieces and slide ablealong the guides, the pallet, guides and cross pieces forming an open.mould box, a hopper'for aggregate above the mould box, and a shutterfor l the controlling the fiow of aggregate into the open mould box, theshutter when closed trimming off the material even; with the top of theopen mould box.

-6. In a concrete block making machine, a pair of parallel chains,driving wheels for operating them together, means for intermittentlyadvancing the wheels and chains, fixed guides spaced alongside thechains, pairs of cross pieces carried by the chains andextending betweenthe guides, pallets between the pairs of cross pieces and slidable alongthe guides, the pallet, guides and cross pieces forming an open mouldbox,

means for filling the mould box with aggregate, acover positioned beyondthe filli meansto, close the top of the mould box when the chains areadvanced, one of said guides terminating short of thecover, andcooperative devicesior first formingholes in theaggregate and thencompressing it into the form of a self-sustaining block of, regularoutline. a a

7.. In a concrete block making machine, a'pair of parallel/chains,driving wheels for operating them together, means forintermittentlyadvancing the wheels and chains, fixed guides spacedalongside the chains, pairs of cross pieces carried by the chains. andextending between the guides, pallets between the pairs of cross piecesand slida-ble along thev guides, the pallets, guides and cross piecesforming an open mould box, means for filling the mould box withaggregate, a cover positioned beyond the filling means to close the topof the smouldbox when the chains are advanced, one 'of said guidesterminating short of the cover, the other guide extending underneath thecover, hole forming plungers, means to force the plungers into the looseaggregate, a ramming member opposite the latter mentioned guide, andmeans for operating the ramming member to compress the material to forma self-sustaining block of even regular outline.

8. In a machine of the character described, for making a block of lowdensity, in combination, a mouldbox with fixed side walls and an endvwall, thefourth side of the mould box being open, means for. placing acharge of loose aggregate in the mould box, a follower block cooperatingwith the open end of the mould box and provided with a plurality ofopenings, a-plurality of plungers adapted to move in the openings of thefollower block transversely of the mould, means for moving'the, followerblock and the plungers toward andinto the 4 open end of the mould boxfor packing the charge, means for holding the followerblock in packingposition while the plungers are being withdrawn, and means forretracting the follower block only after the plungers have beensubstantially com pletely withdrawn. Y

,9. The methodqof making a low density, nonload-bearing block from looseaggregate, comprising placing a charge of aggregate in a mould,compressing the charge in the mould by forcing plungers intov theaggregate and by applying pressure witha ramming member, and maintainingthe packing pressure as exerted by the ramming member until the plungershave been completely removed from the block. I

LOREN E, MORSE.

